When it rains, it pours.

Or at least that’s how I felt. It was another rainy, ugly day, where a downpour hit exactly as I was walking to or from my car. With my husband still searching for a job, and every good possibility falling through, and now one of our cars sitting dead in our driveway and the bank account dwindling, I felt worse than the weather. Rain, rain, go away, come again..wait, don’t come again stay away!

It seems that life just goes that way. With one trial comes another one right on top of it. When you think nothing else could possibly go wrong to make your life any more difficult, sure enough something will break down and need fixed, or you’ll have an unexpected bill or more bad news. And just as it seems that the sun is finally peaking out after a long, rough storm, clouds quickly cover it up again.

And yet we are told to rejoice in our suffering (Romans 5:3-6), and to count trials as pure joy (James 1:2-4). This goes way beyond tolerating or surviving whatever it is that we’re going through. It even goes beyond trying not to be bummed or even having a relatively positive attitude about things. We are supposed to be joyful throughout it all, thankful, praising God for bringing us situations and circumstances, because they draw us closer to Him and allow Him more glory by working in our lives.

In thinking about all of this, what’s going on in my life and what God’s Word tells me to do about it, I decided I could either sit inside, staring out through the window, wishing the rain would go away, or I could throw on my poncho, run outside, and go jump in the puddles.

So I’m heading outside. I’m gonna splash around, look up to the sky and catch raindrops in my mouth. Maybe I’ll even do a little singing! But one thing’s for sure, I am definitely going puddle jumping.

Cause I’m pretty sure Jesus already beat me out there and He’s waiting on me to join the fun.

Emily